Music Appreciation Notes - Anandabhairavi Raga

Anandabhairavi is a janya or an offspring of Natabhairavi which is the 20th in the 72-melakarta scheme.

It is called a vakra sampurna raga because, in its ascending scale its notes are not straight but irregular (as witness sa-ga-ri-ga and pa-da-pa-sa); and because, in its descending scale, it has all the seven notes.

It is also called a bhashanga raga because it admits notes alien to its parent mode. While its basic swara-s are chatusruti ri, sadharana ga, suddha ma, chatusruti 'da and kaisiki ni, and while the raga predominantly uses these swara-s, it has prayoga-s which employ suddha da, antara ga and kakali ni. For instance, in the sanchara pa-sa-ni-SA -nida-PA, the first ni is sung as kakali nishada. Similarly in the avarohana sanchara sa-ni-da-pa-da pa-ma-ga-ri, the second dhaivata is sung as suddha da. Again, in the sanchara pa-ma-ga-ga-Ma-ga-ri-ga-ma-PA, the ga that comes between the two mas is sung as antara gandhara.